Saturday, April 11, 2020

OBERHEIM XPANDER - Sounds & Presets | Synth HQ DEMO & TUTORIAL

Published on Apr 11, 2020 Andy Whitmore

Not sure why he compares it to the DX7 at the start, or why he calls it additive synthesis? You can enable the individual waveforms for each oscillator but that's not really additive synthesis. The Xpander and Matrix-12 are subtractive analog synths. On an additive synth like the Kawai K5 and K5000 series you typically add harmonics to make sounds.

The Oberheim Xpander is a polyphonic analog synthesizer manufactured from 1984-1988, and is essentially a 6-voice desktop version of the Matrix-12. The Oberheim Xpander features 2 oscilllators per voice, linear FM, 5 LFOs, 15-mode filter, lag processor, 3 tracking generators, a ramp processor, 5 ADSR envelopes, CV/Gate to MIDI converter and more.

The Oberheim Xpander also features an extensive modulation matrix that allows for multiple sources and destinations to be routed accordingly. In addition, each of the six voices are completely independent, and can be configured to create a different timbre for each. There are also 6 separate audio outputs for the 6 voices. The Oberheim Xpander is a flexible, powerful and versatile analog synth with extensive digital control, allowing for the creation of all types of sounds - pads, textures, drones, leads, basses and a variety of experimental tones. It can store up to 100 patches and is considered one of the most flexible early analogs in terms of signal routing and modulation capabilities (outside of modular). The Oberheim Xpander (and Matrix-12) are not found for sale very often and often command high prices on the second hand market. They are a testament to Oberheim's desire to push the envelope forward in terms of features and flexibility within the realm of analog synthesis.

All music improvised for this demo is either live or running at 120bpm. The music is copyright free. My credit would be appreciated if used on your track!

Andy Whitmore started life as a top session keyboard player playing on over 50 hit records before turning his hand to music production. He went on to produce 14 top ten hits. He is a pro when it comes to synthesizers, and here explores the Xpander as part of a brand new series.
An iconic synthesizer, Andy’s experience with this classic dates back to the mid-‘90s, and he discusses the basics in his exploration of what makes the Xpander so great.

Filmed at https://www.greystokestudio.com in West London using an Apple iPhone 11 Max 512gb"